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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557712">Living Light and His Personal Shadow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkbreadcat/pseuds/milkbreadcat'>milkbreadcat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Blood and Violence, Comfort/Angst, Eventual Fluff, Fate &amp; Destiny, Kenma Controls Darkness, Kenma Ship Week 2020, Kidnapping, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Oikawa Controls Light, Prophecy, Supernatural Elements, Torture, everyone has powers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:48:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkbreadcat/pseuds/milkbreadcat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Their love was prophesized, and the punishment that came with it was uncertain. But Oikawa knew one thing from the ripe age of five, and that was that he would give anything up for his shadow.  </p><p>“You’re in too deep this time, you know that, right?” iwaizumi questioned, voice full of worry.<br/>“I know, I know,” Oikawa replied, knowing his fate better than anyone else, and having accepted it with open arms.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kozume Kenma/Oikawa Tooru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Kenma Ship Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Living Light and His Personal Shadow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To say neither of them expected it would be a lie, and yet, this wasn’t what they prepared for. When the two finally met as teens, they knew they were meant to be. But they also knew that their love would put them at a risk. Most people with a romance prophesized like theirs choose to avoid each other at all cost, never meeting and refusing to date or fall in love, and yet, they fell together. The two got to know each other like the back of their hands, they knew each others power and their limits, and they knew the people behind the powers as well.</p><p>When others saw them, they saw two people who were opposites, whether or not they knew of the two having powers. They saw a confident, popular boy who was arguably a player and a quiet, shy boy who never looked anyone in the eye. Light and dark. Or that’s what they thought they saw.</p><p>Kenma knew of Oikawa’s false confidence, the mask he wore to hide his insecurities and fears of not being enough and of being replaceable, he knew it, and yet he allowed Oikawa to keep that mask up while also reminding him that he was safe to drop it; reminding him that he wasn’t replaceable, not to Kenma and not to others. He saw the boy’s tendency to overwork himself, sometimes to the point of his powers leaving for up to months in the worst case or his body giving out. The days where the slightest bit of light made Oikawa whine and moan in pain, him physically not being able to handle the element of his own power. Kenma knew behind his facades, he embraced them and gave him a safe space to breathe.</p><p>It was him who held Oikawa on days he broke down, even when he tried to hide it, who kept the boy as warm as he could on days where his body was drained of any form of heat after training too hard. Taking care of his injuries, darkening the room when the light was too much, arranging for friends to surprise him with visits and hangouts when he felt unloved. He did it without commenting, because he knew that that was who Oikawa was, and regardless of how others saw him, Kenma’s love for Oikawa grew the longer he knew him and the more he learned. He loved Oikawa for who he was, not what he looked like or what his powers had to offer.</p><p>And Oikawa knew of Kenma’s social anxiety, his quiet observations and 80 backup plans that were ready no matter the situation; the slight fear of how others perceived him. After a few months, Oikawa learned that while people thought Kenma wasn’t paying attention, he was more focused on his surroundings and what was going on than anyone else in the room. He knew that behind that façade of not caring, Kenma protected his friends to extremes, like a territorial cat, and that when he was determined, he went from being a house cat to a tiger. He knew that Kenma would rather not take the attention when he did something for someone, but that despite that, a small acknowledgement made his week. Oikawa knew just what his power did to him too, that working with the dark had its downsides just as working with the light did.</p><p>He was the one who saw Kenma disappear in the dark for days at the time when life got to be too much, how he operated from the shadows for others; he saw how alive the boy was at night, when the darkness was at its peak (and how he loved stars despite them lighting up that darkness, which Kenma would never tell him was because they reminded him of Oikawa.) Oikawa was the one who held Kenma’s hand when he knew the boy was barely pulling through the social situation, taking the light and pointing it at himself so the other could focus on breathing, and who helped him calm down after nightmare after nightmare, he was the one who lit up the darkness when Kenma was afraid. Oikawa was there to fan him when he overexerted himself and his body ran too warm, making sure to keep him cool so Kenma didn’t overheat.</p><p>While others only saw opposites, light and dark, it was those differences that made them work. Kenma gave Oikawa shade when life and his powers became to much, while Oikawa provided a guide out of the shadows when it felt like it was consuming him. Even with the passing judgment of others, they were happy, they had each other, their powers and their friends, which is why they should have seen it coming.</p><p>Oikawa knew something was off the second Kenma disappeared and didn’t give him a warning first. The boy always left him a note somewhere so his boyfriend didn’t panic, knowing that leaving without warning would set off Oikawa’s anxiety and refusing to be the reason behind an anxiety attack. But there was nothing, no text, no calls, no letters, not even any significant proof he had taken off, even his jacket and shoes were still near the door. In a haste, Oikawa called Kenma’s second emergency contact (the first being himself,) and his best friend, both Kuroo and Iwaizumi quickly coming over.</p><p>Days passed, and no one had seen Kenma. Iwaizumi went to find Oikawa’s copy of the couple’s prophecy paperwork they had studied as kids and Kuroo went to search for Kenma’s, all while Oikawa conserved his power, waiting at home in case his lover returned. He didn’t know what was going on, but his gut told him to be ready. And then, the phone rang.</p><p>No words were spoken as Oikawa picked up the call from the unknown number, putting it on speakerphone automatically, and then the room filled with quiet, shaky breathes coming from the other end of the phone. The voice seemed so small, as a high-pitched, half crying half whimpering noise started, and then the sound of skin on skin impact, someone being hit. The source of the noise seemed like they were about to gasp, and then stifled the noise in their throat by holding their breathe. And then, a heavy exhale.</p><p>“I have shadow boy, if you want him back, you will trade. You will be texted the information, you have three days,” a deep voice explained, filling all three on the other end of the call with dread.</p><p>“hnnnnggg I’m okay I’m okay <em>I’mokay I’m –</em> okay I’m okay it’s okay <em>I’malive </em>Oi—d<em>on’t,</em>” a broken string of barely held together words filled the line, and then, a drawn out hiss, as if Kenma just experienced sudden and intense pain, which he knew would pass in a few moments, and was trying to quiet himself, but it still hurt.</p><p>“but I’m not sure he will last that long, better come soon.” The voice finishes, as if Kenma had never interrupted them in the first place.</p><p>“Please, please just, please don’t hurt him I’ll – please I’ll do anything <em>please, please leave them alone I can’t</em>—I’ll just—<em>whatever you want, please, </em>I’m begging you,” Oikawa sputtered and begged, only to be interrupted by a chuckle, another hit sound with a deep exhale and a whine, and then the call ending. A period of shock and silence followed, no one had ever heard Kenma like that, even with his breakdowns, he was never like that. A week had passed since they had last seen him and he sounded broken.</p><p>The trio prepared, Oikawa having to be watched so he didn’t go alone. Putting feelings aside from action wasn’t like him, but he’d have to do it so they could all make it out alive. Yet quietly, as everyone else slept, he made a backup plan. If it came down to it, he would sacrifice himself for the others, his powers had more use, more than Iwaizumi and Kuroo at least. He would get the rest to safety, giving them as much possibility at making it out safely, making sure the others had Kenma and switch. For his friends, and his soulmate, he would give himself up.</p><p>“You’re in too deep this time, you know that, right?” iwaizumi questioned, voice full of worry and kept down low as they got ready to leave to the location. They both knew the cost of dealing with this, to get Kenma out meant being willing to sacrifice something, or someone else. It wasn’t as if either of their families hadn’t spent all that time teaching them the prophecy, they had, but no one knew what the real cost was. All they knew was that Oikawa was fated in some way to Kenma, and Iwaizumi, as well as Kuroo, were fated to protect them.</p><p>“I know, I know,” Oikawa replied, knowing his fate better than anyone else, and having already accepted it with open arms. </p><p>The closer the trio got, the warmer they got and when they reached the location, they could tell why Kenma sounded so weak. The building was practically glowing, but the light wasn’t natural, and it made Iwaizumi and Kuroo feel like they had been under the sun for days just looking at it. Using his powers, Oikawa tried to figure out where the light was coming from, his body naturally accepting its energy and telling him what he needed to know.</p><p>The light itself was normal, but has a layer of negative charge to it, making those who didn’t actively manipulate light weak; it must have been a ploy to get Oikawa to come in alone, as well as to trap Kenma within the building. Focusing his powers on his hands, the light wielding boy pulled the others closer and covered their eyes with his hands for a minute, allowing his own natural light to pass through their bodies, forming a sort of shield, so that they would be as immune to the light’s powers as he was.</p><p>The building itself wasn’t well guarded, which was weird considering the set up. Kenma wouldn’t be an easy target, his brain wired for strategies from gaming, so the thought of him being kidnapped by a singular person seemed far from possible; he would have had to have been caught off guard, overpowered and then had his powers drained. Not spending too much time overthinking it or wanting to seem like they were complaining, the trio dealt with the few guards accordingly, Kuroo staying a little further behind to tie the people up just in case, but still remaining close enough to keep an eye on Iwaizumi and Oikawa. The further in they got, the more Oikawa felt the negative light flow, and then, they saw it.</p><p>A cage, fully illuminated with the light, Kenma in the middle, curled in a ball in the one spot that didn’t have light. The sight alone had Kuroo gagging and Oikawa dropped to his knees, Iwaizumi standing behind him in case this was a set up. Kenma laid on the floor, near-dead, amid a mess of blood, which showed how hard he struggled. Several knives surrounded him, Oikawa feeling a negative light source coming from them from the doorway, it was faint and the knives weren’t glowing, but he knew at one point they must have been full of energy. Oikawa crawls to the cage, hesitating for a second and then grasping the bars, feeling the power surge through him.</p><p>“Kenma, baby please, <em>please,</em> wake up,” He started in a whisper, not wanting to alert anyone more than the trio already had by taking down the few guards, “I’m going to get you out of here, but you need to wake up now kitten, wake up for me,” he begged, knowing he’d do anything to save the boy.</p><p>Shallow, raspy breaths followed as Kenma opened his eyes, but even from outside the cage, they could all tell his vision wasn’t focused. Whatever words he was trying to get out came out inaudible to the others, syllables scattered with continuous breaks, tears falling down the tracks he left the last time he cried. Whatever he was trying to say sounded like weak breathy pleas mixed with apologies, but eventually one thing was clear.</p><p>“pl—ple<em>ase</em> <em>don’t hurt</em>—don’t hurt him,” and with that, Oikawa broke more than the two-thought possible. Focusing on absorbing the energy from the cage itself, Oikawa got Iwaizumi to try to use his power to pull the bars apart far enough for Kuroo to get in and get Kenma out when a new voice chimes in.</p><p>“So, you came after all. And I was looking forward to playing more with my new plaything, not he would last much longer, weak thing.” The voice announced, making the hair raise on everyone’s arms.</p><p>“You got what you wanted, I’m here, a deal is a deal,” Oikawa stated, voice sounding like a parent calming down a child from a tantrum, the three tried to figure out where the voice come from when a figure appeared out of thin air behind Kenma. Hearing the movement, Kenma flinched, but was unable to move further. “Give us Kenma, and I’ll stay like you wanted.” Oikawa let go of the cage as he said that, his hands up in the air to show that he was harmless.</p><p>The figure pulled another knife, this time glowing, out from their coat and plunged it into Kenma’s side, the boy letting out a shallow, high-pitch whine, curling himself around the knife as if the prevent further damage. Disappearing and reappearing behind the trio outside of the cage, the figure got closer and the boys realized what was off. Kenma’s kidnapper was there, but wasn’t at the same time. It was is if they were in several dimensions at once, their body flickering like a light. Like an electric ghost.</p><p>“New deal, you heal me, or lover boy gets it.” Pointing another knife at the boy in the cage, the figure dares any of the three to challenge them. Iwaizumi, knowing how much healing takes out of Oikawa, went to hold him back, but is shaken off by his best friend. Oikawa looked at him to show that he was fine and walked closer.</p><p>“Only if you let Iwaizumi and Kuroo get Kenma from the cage,” he stated, unmoving on that part of the previous agreement and planning in his head.</p><p>“Fine. Heal me,” Iwaizumi and Kuroo rushed towards the cage as Oikawa took the figures hands, almost flinching at how cold the skin was.</p><p>Knowing his best friend was putting his all into this to save Kenma, Iwaizumi gripped the bars ready to accept the energy when he realized Oikawa had taken all the energy from the light so that it would have no impact on them, the light they saw now was the light Oikawa normally manipulated, instead of negatively charged light. As he pried the bars apart, he saw Oikawa start to glow out of the corner of his eyes. Kuroo practically dove into the cage as Iwaizumi followed and when they got to Kenma they realized a change in the injured boy. The boy’s eyes were pitch black.</p><p>Oikawa focuses his energy on the figure, both the light he absorbed from before and the last bit of his own, and both his body and his eyes glowed as the figure’s image started to stabilize. A warm buzzing noise started from the light. Yet, he kept going. The prophecy said a sacrifice was required, yet it never said what that sacrifice was. That was up to them.</p><p>Iwaizumi and Kuroo hold Kenma up as they walked out of the cage, Kenma whispering to them to go behind the figure as he clutched the knife still stuck in his side. Thinking this was just Kenma telling them the quickest way out after observing the room for a week, they agree, not commenting on the clutching of the knife, assuming he was making sure his wound didn’t get worst.</p><p>It was as if the two had the same idea, as Oikawa pushed the last bit of his power into the figure all at once, the kidnapper lit up like a Christmas tree on fire as Oikawa let go and fell to the ground, his hair turning pure white the minute his power stopped. Kenma, having sensed Oikawa’s power, ripped the knife from his side and jammed it straight into figures back, piercing them and then focusing all his power on the sword.</p><p>The figure lets out an unsettling scream as it goes from being lit up to fading, as if shadows were consuming them. Pushing the last bit of power he could into his attack, Kenma let go of the sword and fell to the floor with Oikawa, his eyes and hair now an inky black color. The figure continued screaming as slowly, they faded into nonexistence. Iwaizumi and Kuroo stared at the two on the floor, unsure of what happened, but knowing it couldn’t have been good or easy.</p><p>Wrapping their friends in their jackets, Kuroo and Iwaizumi left the scene, friends on their backs, and not looking back.</p><p>---</p><p>“You did what?! Do you realize how stupid that was?!” Iwaizumi bellows as Oikawa explains his part of the plan.</p><p>“The prophecy didn’t say what we had to give up, so I choose for it,” Oikawa replies, no shame in his actions as he held his soulmates hand.</p><p>“Once I snapped out of it enough to sense what he was doing, I joined,” Kenma adds, as Oikawa rubs his thumb over Kenma’s hand.</p><p>“You have no room to talk, that was so dangerous! You had no proof that knife hadn’t hit an artery or that this wouldn’t kill you!” Kuroo backs Iwaizumi up, upset his friend would risk his life like that, but also knowing it was the smartest move to get everyone out.</p><p>As their best friends continue to, rightfully, go on, about all the flaws in their plan, Oikawa pulls Kenma closer and Kenma snuggles in. Even if Oikawa’s hair turned white, and his eye color changed from brown to white, leaving him having to wear sunglasses when dealing with light and constantly dealing with being cold, he’d live. And regardless of Kenma’s eyes turning entirely black, like he was wearing black sclera’s contacts, and he always felt warm, he didn’t care.  Losing both their powers would always be worth it in the end, even with the physical costs, if it meant they could be together like this.</p><p>Iwaizumi and Kuroo hadn’t pieced it together as it happened, everything happening so fast, but when Oikawa and Kenma were healed enough to wake up and talk, they explained what they did. Oikawa had taken all the negative charge from the cage and absorbed it, and when he had touched the figure, he pushed his own light into them and then added the negative light with it, using all of his power to overwhelm the body’s system. Kenma, who was able to focus enough in the cage after Oikawa drew all the negative charge from the light, started centering all the darkness he could, drawing whatever he could internally.</p><p>The knives only held the majority of the light charge for about a minute, and he knew if someone could manipulate it with light, then he could do the same with darkness and focused all his power on the knife. When he felt like he was close enough to the figure, which radiated Oikawa’s light that he had grown used to, he forced the knife and his powers into the figure, counteracting Oikawa’s powers while also overwhelming the body’s system more, causing it to permanently crash. The body’s system crashing mixed with all the power caused the figure to die and disappear from existence. However, the cost had been the pair’s powers.</p><p>Powers or not, Oikawa would always be Kenma’s stars, and Kenma would always be Oikawa’s moon, they would always stay together. Even if it meant adjusting to life without the powers they had grown up with. As long as they had each other, and their best friends, it was worth it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was originally going to write for every single day for the week, and ended up with this jumble of themes. Consider this a mix of the first day (supernatural/modern magic) and the last day (soulmates.) </p><p>A fun subnote on Oikawa healing with his powers, there are a lot of studies on the power of light when it comes to healing and medicine. Oikawa using his powers to heal is really just my take on light therapy and the potential uses at a higher degree (and if humans had powers in the first place.)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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